1988 film by Dwight H. Little
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 American slasher film directed by Dwight H. Little, written by Alan B. McElroy, and starring Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Danielle Harris in her film debut, and Michael Pataki. It is the fourth installment in the Halloween franchise and a sequel to Halloween II (1981). The film marks the return of Michael Myers as the primary antagonist following his absence in Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982), and focuses on his escape from years of comatose incarceration while being transported from a maximum security institution and carves his way to Haddonfield to kill his young niece, Jamie Lloyd, a decade after his first killing spree.
Initially, John Carpenter and co-producer Debra Hill intended to create an anthology series with only the first two films being connected, but after the poor reception of Halloween III, the idea was abandoned. Screenwriter McElroy was hired to rework Dennis Etchison's original screenplay, reintroducing Michael Myers. Principal photography of Halloween 4 took place on location in Salt Lake City, Utah in the spring of 1988.
Halloween 4 was released in the United States on October 21, 1988. Despite mostly negative reviews from critics, the film grossed $17.8 million domestically on a budget of $5 million. It has developed a strong cult following since its release and has enjoyed positive reappraisals in the years since its release.
The film begins the Thorn Trilogy story arc which would be continued in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995).
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.